(CNN) - Sen. Ted Cruz wraps up a week in the political spotlight by heading a political fundraiser in New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary in the race for the White House.

The Texas Republican, who is considered a possible contender for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, will be the main attraction at a reception Friday evening for the New Hampshire Republican party. Cruz has already made two visits this summer to Iowa, whose caucuses kick off the primary and caucus calendar, and in May was in South Carolina, which holds the first southern primary.
The fundraiser will be held at the home of former Ambassador Joseph Petrone and his wife, Augusta. The longtime New Hampshire residents are known for their active engagement in Republican politics. Over the years they've served as state chairs to presidential campaigns for Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole, George W. Bush and Rudy Giuliani.

An adviser to the state party tells CNN that a big activist turnout's expected, and at $100 per ticket, the event will be more of a low dollar gathering than the fundraiser headlined earlier this summer by 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

The trip to the Granite State concludes a week where Cruz made headlines for his newly discovered Canadian citizenship and for getting heckled at a defund Obamacare townhall in Houston.

Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother and a Cuban father, which has raised questions over whether he's eligible to run for president. At the beginning of the week, after the Dallas Morning News – citing legal experts – said Cruz's birthplace makes him a dual U.S.-Canada citizen, the senator declared he was ending any Canadian citizenship he may hold (though the actual process of renouncing Canadian citizenship involves a four-page application and a $100 fee).

Asked during a news conference Tuesday whether he thought he was eligible, Cruz deferred to other experts.

"The Constitution has its requirements. What I've said on this issue – I'll lay out the facts, where I was born and who my parents are, and I'll leave it to others to worry about it," he said. "I'm not going to speculate about legal consequences."

And in an interview with CNN's Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley, Cruz explained his reasoning for renouncing his Canadian citizenship, saying that "serving as a U.S. senator – I was an American by birth, and serving as a U.S. senator, I think it's appropriate I be only an American."

Cruz added that the attention to his citizenship is merely evidence of the "silly season in politics."

The senator's full sit-down interview will air Sunday's "State of the Union" at 9 a.m. ET and 12 p.m. ET on CNN.

Cruz was in Houston on Tuesday pushing his goal of defunding President Barack Obama's health care law. The event was part of a week-long tour sponsored by the conservative group Heritage Action for America that features Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz, as a headliner.

The younger Cruz was interrupted three times by hecklers during his remarks, though each time he allowed the protesters to speak before continuing his anti-Obamacare address. The final heckler was drowned out by chants of "USA" from the crowd.
Cruz, along with fellow Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and Mike Lee, has said he won't support a measure to continue financing the government if it includes funding for Obamacare. The current measure keeping the government funded expires September 30.

Some Republicans contest that tactic won't work, and will instead alienate some Obamacare opponents.

soundoff(11 Responses)

ThinkAgain

Cruz is ineligible, because he was born in Canada. BTW, has he become a naturalized American yet? I heard he finally renounced his Canadian citizenship, after claiming he didn't need to renounce it because he never was one, apparently unaware that the country you are born in automatically confers citizenship upon you ... for a guy who's supposedly so brilliant, he seems a bit dim to me.

August 23, 2013 01:30 am at 1:30 am |

Nothing At All

He needs to be the Republican nominee. They deserve one another.

August 23, 2013 01:44 am at 1:44 am |

ThinkAgain

"Cruz, along with fellow Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and Mike Lee, has said he won't support a measure to continue financing the government if it includes funding for Obamacare. "

President Obama was elected by a majority of Americans TWICE, in part because of Obamacare.

What is it about the will of the American people that Cruz and repubs don't get?!?

Cruz & co can support what they choose to support but if there is Govt shutdown, Congress should be part of Govt.

August 23, 2013 02:52 am at 2:52 am |

tired congress

I not a fan of Ted Cruz fine u dn like the ACA act however I dn not have any insurance I had cancer 5 yrs ago ddoes he have an alternative I can care less if he was born in Disneylqnd all of this talk is not working for me. However I'm quite sure he has insurance. Its the law of the land in all my yrs we r paying politicians to do nothing they cannot pass a farm bill. they fight like school kids he said she says who gives a dam we pay you to help us I think he is very arrogant has no respect for anyone its all about him I will not vote for him not worth it

August 23, 2013 02:52 am at 2:52 am |

wortless congress

I hope he has a good fundraiser, when millions of people are looking for work trying to stay afloat. All congress does is go talk shows and talk about nothing but each other. Not how they can help the american people. No jobs just about abortion, aca, who can vote. It should be term limits on all there asses because I'm sick of them. Who can run the debates 5 wks vacation AND FOR WHAT they have been on vacation for 5 yrs and still get paid and yet we are suffering.

August 23, 2013 03:03 am at 3:03 am |

Thomas

If Cruz thinks he could possibly become the President of the United States of America is not very smart.

August 23, 2013 03:10 am at 3:10 am |

NATHAN WIMBERLY

Rapheal Cruz just made his party cave in again. The GOBP sheep are desperate but they love him anyway.